


I'll See You Soon, Buddy

by Mykael



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Hood/Arsenal (Comics)
Genre: Artemis (mentioned) - Freeform, Bizzaro (mentioned) - Freeform, Crying, Grief/Mourning, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Koriand'r (mentioned) - Freeform, M/M, Mental Anguish, Mentioned Bruce Wayne, Roy Harper Deserves Better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 09:57:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16156721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mykael/pseuds/Mykael
Summary: HEROES IN CRISIS SPOILERSRoy Harper was more than a friend to Jason Todd...he was a brother...





	I'll See You Soon, Buddy

**Author's Note:**

> I read Heroes in Crisis a few days ago, and it's been bugging me ever since. I tried to forget it happened, but alas, that wasn't going to happen. xD So finally, this happened. I admit it, I cried writing it. I haven't cried this much over a fictional character, since "Leaves from the Vine" in "Tales of Ba Sing Se" in Avatar: The Last Airbender. I had that song playing in my head as I wrote this, which made it so much harder. T_T Now, I'm a glutton for punishment, so please excuse me while I go to YouTube and listen to "Leaves From The Vines" and cry some more. xDDD
> 
> I've always said that the best storytelling comes when a writer can punch you right in the feels. Well...ouch.

Jason stood in front of Roy’s grave, the sun having gone down long ago and the rain coming down in a light sprinkle. He’d been at the funeral, but he kept his distance; there were a number of people that probably didn’t want him there, and he didn’t want to fight. Not now. The fight had been sapped right out of him.

Jason stood there, tears filling his eyes as memories of his time together with Roy came flooding back to his mind. How he, Roy, and Kori brought their own brand of justice to the world; how Roy was always making stupid jokes; how Roy would do or say the dumbest shit; how the man would waste hundreds or thousands of their dollars on parts for his dumb fucking toys…How Roy always had his back, no matter what.

Because that was who Roy was. He may had acted like he didn’t care, but he cared more than anyone he knew. Roy was always there for him, even at his worst. He was there when Jason lost his memory, there to help him get it back, and he was there after he had a blowout with Bruce in Gotham City. Even after the way they’d left things off when they went their separate ways; Roy was there.

Roy had been the single best friend he’d had in his entire life. A litany of people had walked away from, or given up on, Jason Peter Todd, but not Roy. Roy had been his rock, his one constant in this rotten world…and now he was gone. Artemis was gone. Bizzaro was gone. Kori was gone. And…

“Roy,” Jason muttered, voice thick, and strained with emotion as he let the tears fall down his face.

_“I’ll see you soon, buddy.”_

Jason collapsed in front of Roy’s grave and slammed his fist into the ground, sobs wracking his body to the point of shaking.

“You son of a bitch!” Jason shouted through a mix of anger and sorrow. “You…you said you’d always have my back. You said I’d see you again, but you--” Jason breathed out, wracked by another round of sobs. The rain came down heavy, almost drowning out his anguished cries “--you left me. You died. You fucking died and left me alone!” Jason cried out, scrubbing his face with his hand. He wiped away his tears only for them to be replaced by more. He’d felt his share of pain in his life, physical and mental, but this…this was more than he could bare, more than he could take. He _loved_ Roy. Roy was his _best friend_ \--no-- _his brother_. And the worst part was, he’d never gotten the chance to tell him that.

How could he just leave like that?! How could he just…could he have stopped him? Had he said something, done something, could he have stopped Roy from going to Sanctuary?! Could he have saved his best friend? Could he have saved the man he called a brother, from walking to his death?

“Is this what you want from me, you son of a bitch?!” Jason shouted angrily to the sky, the tears still streaming down his face. “You fucking take everything away from me, you leave me with nothing. Is this all my life is?! Pain?! Anger?! Loss?!” Jason shouted. He was never sure he believed in God, but if there was a God...“I’ve got nothing left! Are you fucking happy now?!”

 _“I’ll always be here, Jaybird,”_  came a whisper on the wind. Jason felt…something. He couldn’t explain it, but--

“Roy,” he whispered, drying his eyes.

Roy, now a spirit, placed his hand on Jason’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze, or as much of one as a spirit could. He smiled at Jason, then knelt beside him. He knew Jason couldn’t see him, but--

“Roy…I’m so sorry,” Jason breathed out, crying again.

 _“Hey, buddy. You’re good. I never blamed you. But hey, cheer up, would ya? I hate seein’ ya sad like this. Smile, okay?”_ Roy smiled brightly, then gave a laugh. He glanced up from Jason and there stood Big Bow, the man who’d adopted him. The man smiled at him, and held out his hand.

_“Time to come home, son.”_

_“Not yet. Jason…_ my friend _needs me,”_  Roy replied. _“Sorry Jaybird. I know I said I’d see you again, but…well, shit happens,”_  Roy said softly. He wrapped his arms around Jason and hugged him tight. Suddenly, Jason stopped crying; he sat there and felt a sudden wave of…peace.

“Roy…you’re here, aren’t you buddy?” Jason asked, sniffling a bit as he dried his eyes again. Jason finally found the strength to get to his feet again. He kissed the tips of his fingers and pressed them to Roy’s headstone. “Until we meet again,” he whispered out, fighting off a new round of tears as he left a picture of himself and Roy at the headstone. He turned one final time and saw Roy standing there with Big Bow. Roy smiled and waved and he and Big Bow vanished.

“I’ll see you soon…buddy.”


End file.
